Display tray



March 30, 1943.

W. J. PORTER DISPLAY TRAY Filed Jan. 24, 1941 IN VEN TOR. Ma Pofirifi,

A ZZ'orrz ey Patented Mar. 30, 1943 UNiTED STATES PATIENT OFFICE"2,315,271 DISPLAY TRAY Weston J. Porter, Bunkie, La.

Application January 24, 1941, Serial No. 375,860

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a display tray and it is one object of theinvention to provide a device of this character adapted to be mounted inupright position above a counter where articles placed in the tray willbe prominently displayed and called to the attention of customers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display tray havingmounting means adapted to engage a support at the back of a counter anddetachably mount the tray in such a position that it will not interferewith other articles placed on top of the counter or be in the way when aclerk is making use of the counter while serving a customer.

Another object of the invention is to so form the tray and so mount itat the top of a standard that the tray will be disposed at an inclinepermitting the contents of the tray to be readily seen by a customer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a display tray which is ofsimplified construction and strong and durable.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view showing the display device partially in verticalsection and partially in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is a view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing there has been illustrated a display device adapted tohold a number of boxes or the like in which articles are displayed. Thetray, indicated in general by the numeral I9, is formed from a sheetmetal blank bent along transversely extending lines to form a pluralityof shelves 20 arranged in stepped relation to each other and disposed atan incline, as shown in Fig. 1, so that when boxes or other articles 21are set in place upon the shelves, the articles or contents of the boxesmay be easily seen by a person standing in front of the display device.While three shelves have been shown, it will be understood that theinvention is not limited to the specific number of shelves shown. Endportions of the blank are bent to form a retainer flange 22 along thefront edge of the lower shelf and a rear wall 23 for the upper shelf,the wall 23 having its upper edge portion folded forwardly anddownwardly to form a flange 24 which reinforces the upper end of thiswall and also serves as a holder for an advertising card or price cardwhich may be disposed in an upright position against the wall. Theabutment flange 22 has extended end portions which are bent inwardly andform corner cleats 25 to engage corner portions of a box and prevent thebox from slipping transversely off the shelf. Portions of the blankbetween the intermediate shelf and the upper and lower shelves form rearwalls 26 for the lower shelf and the intermediate shelf and also formreinforcements 21 for the forward portions of the upper shelf and theintermediate shelf which overhang shelves below them. Clips 28 arecarried by forward corner portions of the top shelf and the intermediateshelf for engaging corners of boxes set thereon and holding the boxes inplace. The standard 29 consists of a metal rod or strip having its upperportion bent to form a rearwardly extending arm 30 terminating in anupwardly extending portion 30'. The upper portion of the standard iswelded against the rear Wall of the lower shelf and the arm 30 and itsupstanding portion 30' are welded against the intermediate shelf and therear wall thereof. By this arrangement the tray will be well supportedand prevented from being bent out of shape by the weight of articlesplaced upon the shelves. The lower end of the standard is welded to aclamp 3| formed of resilient sheet metal and having depending jaws forgripping an upright support 32.

I have, therefore, provided a display device of such construction that atray or equivalent ar-' ticle carrier will be disposed in an elevatedposition over the counter where articles in the tray will be prominentlydisplayed and attract the attention of customers standing in front ofthe counter.

It will also be noted that the tray, when so supported, will not occupycounter space and leave the top of the counter clear for use by a clerkserving a customer.

While the constructions disclosed are the preferred embodiments of theinvention, it is to be understood that other forms of supports may beprovided for the standard and also that changes of construction, such ascome within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in theconstruction of the tray or the standard.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a display device, a tray having stepped shelves in vertical spacedrelation to each other and each having a bottom and a rear wall, therear wall of each lower shelf being joined with the bottom of the shelfnext above, upstanding flanges along the front edges of the bottoms ofthe shelves having extended end portions bent inwardly to form abutmenttongues, and a standard for supporting the tray having its upper por- 2tion mounted against the rear wall of the lower shelf and bent to form arearwardly extendin arm secured against the bottom of the next shelf andterminating in an upstanding portion secured against the rear wall ofthe last mentioned shelf.

2. In a display device, a tray having stepped. shelves in verticalspaced relation to each other and each having a bottom and a rear wall,the rear wall of each lower shelf being joined with the shelf nextabove, abutments at the front edges of the bottoms of said shelves, astandard having its upper portion offset rearwardly and secured againstcertain of the shelves in supporting relation thereto.

3. In a display device, a tray formed from a blank folded alongtransversely extending lines to form a plurality of shelves disposed invertically spaced stepped relation to each other, said shelves eachhaving a bottom and a rear wall, portions of the blank extendingforwardly from upper edges of the rear walls of certain of the shelvesbeing integrally united with front edges of the bottoms of adjoiningshelves and constituting reinforcing means for forward portions of thebottoms of the said adjoining shelves, abutment clips at corners offorward edges of bottoms of the shelves to hold articles upon theshelves and having portions extending rearwardly of the bottoms alongside edges thereof, and a standard disposed vertically with its upperportion secured to certain of the shelves.

WESTON J. PORTER.

